Puzzling Optical Illusion Makes a Cat in the Desert Look Hollow

Real world optical illusions—not the ones manufactured on posters or in books—add a delightful sense of mystery to our everyday lives. Since we were left puzzled over this brick wall, a Japanese photographer called Hanamomo has shared the strange visual conundrum that comes from a cat walking in a United Arab Emirates desert. The feline, known as “Okaachan” (or “Momma”), is mostly white but has some distinct markings, including patches of fur that match the red coloring of the sand.

One particular mark is coupled with a bit of black fur and happens to look like a circle, or in this case, a shaded hole. When the cat is viewed from a certain angle, the dust-colored hair blends with the sand and suddenly, the cat appears hollow. The strange effect has delighted people from around the world and has since been retweeted thousands of times. Although it’s less pronounced from a straight-on view, this vantage point has an added bonus: the marking looks like a pie chart.